interest,[1] and no one
thought the worse of him for his Usury. Washington, the hero of American
freedom, bequeathed his slaves to his wife. It did not occur to him to
give them their liberty. Municipal jobbery is not unknown in New York;
and its influential citizens are said to be steeped to the lips in
political corruption. Mr. Mills says, that the people of the
North-Eastern States have apparently got rid of all social injustices
and inequalities; that the proportion of population to capital and land
is such as to ensure abundance for every able-bodied man; that they
enjoy the six points of the Charter, and need never complain of poverty.
Yet "all that these advantages have done for them is, that the life of
the whole of our sex is devoted to dollar-hunting; and of the other, to
breeding dollar-hunters. This," Mr. Mill adds, "is not a kind of social
perfection which philanthropists to come will feel any very eager desire
to assist in realizing."[2]
[Footnote 1: Cicero's Letters]
[Footnote 2: _Principles of Political Economy_, Book iv., ch. vi.]
Saladin the Great conquered Syria, Arabia, Persia, and Mesopotamia. He
was the greatest warrior and conqueror of his time. His power and wealth
were enormous. Yet he was fully persuaded of the utter hollowness of
riches. He ordered, by his will, that considerable sums should be
distributed to Mussulmans, Jews, and Christians, in order that the
priests of the three religions might implore for him the mercy of God.
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